Require AVs to 'see' bicyclists and pedestrians

UPDATE: The Senate hopes to attach the AV START bill to the Federal Aviation Reauthorization (FAA bill), a "must pass" bill, which expires on September 30th. If the AV START bill is added to FAA as an amendment it will not get its own set of votes- ie- there won't be a chance to improve the AV START bill on the Senate floor.

The League continues to work with allies in the Senate and around the country to insist the AV START bill not be attached to another bill, and that safety concerns like a vision test, are addressed before the bill passes.

Please help us stop the AV START act from going forward with further safety considerations. Contact your Senator now!

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The Senate is hoping to pass Senate Bill 1885: The AV START Act this Summer! The bill will increase tenfold the number of automated vehicles being tested on our streets without requiring those vehicles to pass a federal safety standard proving they can "see" bicyclists and pedestrians.

Bill supporters hope to pass the bill before fall so we need your help now!

When human drivers apply for a driver’s license we have to pass a vision test. The League believes that all automated driving systems should first have to pass a "vision test" as well — a safety performance standard determined and regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association — proving their ability to recognize and respond to people bicycling,walking and using wheel chairs, before they are on community street.

Right now the Senate is considering S. 1885: AV START Act to set guidelines for automated vehicle manufacturers to test their vehicles on our streets.

Please join the League in asking Senators to require AVs to pass a vision test proving they can see bicyclists and pedestrians.

Thank you for taking action to ensure that automated vehicles are regulated in a way that ensures that they keep people who bike and walk safe. Please encourage others to act by sharing on social media!

You can find more information about the League of American Bicyclists' work on automated vehicles on our blog. For a quick summary of our actions since 2014 see this post. The League is actively working with insurance groups and others to make sure that the promised benefits of automated vehicles are realized, read more about these efforts in our latest blog post.